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Russian ambassador: There are no major benefits to visiting the Deveselu site; we suggest written treaties
Russia's ambassador to Romania Valery Kuzmin told a virtual news conference on Wednesday that there are no major benefits to visiting the Deveselu military base, adding that Moscow prefers written treaties to ensure the defensive nature of the military facility.
He added that a model called MK 41 has been launched in Deveselu that could be easily and quickly readjusted for strategic weapons, such as Tomahawk cruise missiles, and such cruise missiles can have any type of warheads, conventional or otherwise.
He said the Americans reportedly provided guarantees to Romania, but as far as he knows, the Deveselu facility was visited by a Russian official only once, in the early stages of the commissioning when it was just a matter of seeing what the American installation would be like there.
The ambassador also spoke about the need for written guarantees.
So far, he said, the information he has shows there are no major benefits to visiting the site, because Russia knows about the launchers. Construction and capabilities are no big secret at the moment for the entire military community, said Kuzmin.
As for American verbal guarantees, the ambassador said written guarantees are to be commended, but Russia does not have any such guarantees, and it is talking about an American base. Verbal guarantees are just assumptions or just confusing statements, said Kuzmin, adding that Russia has heard that for years, decades, and now, little by little, it finds out that they have nothing to do with reality.
He added that trust in Washington and NATO is over, saying that Russia suggests the adoption of written treaties with legal value. It will not change the degree of trust, but it will be a step forward, he said.
Asked about his evidence of the Deveselu base, Kuzmin replied: "I rely in this regard upon the information, advice and opinion of our military experts. They are telling us what I told you already, the advertising material of the producer of those launchers (...) those launchers are advertised as capable to do what I am describing to you."
At the same time, the ambassador said that the deployments of troops to Romania could lead to heightening tensions in the region.
Kuzmin went on to ask how Russia can see as peaceful the forces that are not from the Black Sea region deployed thousands or tens of thousands of kilometres from home.
As such deployments take place under the smoke curtain of the hysterical propaganda campaign against Russia, the United States and France will contribute to the escalation of tensions.